I've made up my mind,
Don't need to think it over,
If I'm wrong I am right,
Don't need to look no further,
This ain't lust,
I know this is love but,

If I tell the world,
I'll never say enough,
Cause it was not said to you,
And that's exactly what I need to do,
If I'm in love with you,

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even If I knew my place should I leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

I'd build myself up,
And fly around in circles,
Waiting as my heart drops,
And my back begins to tingle
Finally could this be it or

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere yeah

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if, it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep on chasing pavements?
Should I just keep on chasing pavements? Or

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

99 Comments

General CommentThis is an amazing song, I think its about how she loves someone, and wants to tell them ("If i tell the world,
I'll never say enough,
Cause it was not said to you,
And thats exactly what i need to do,") but he doesnt like her back and she doesnt know whether to give up, or to keep trying even if shes not very hopeful and doesnt think it will happen ("Or should i just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,")

General CommentI agree that the song is about a woman who hasn't confessed her feelings to someone. She is definitely in love with said person. ("This ain't lust, this is love but...")

It doesn't matter who knows about her feelings. There's only one person who absolutely needs to know, and that is the man himself ("If I tell the world, I'll never say enough, because it was not said to you")

She then goes on to ask herself if things will ever go anywhere, or if the relationship is doomed to failure before it even begins ("Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements even if it leads nowhere")

As well, she wonders if she'll put up with the cosequences of telling him she loves him ("Even if I knew my place,would I leave it there?") If he rejects her, would she leave him alone or keep trying to win his heart?

She tries to convince herself that he loves her back ("I'd build myself up, and fly around in circles") but ultimately she doesn't really know how he feels about her.

This is one of my favourite songs. It's very beautiful and Adele has a very haunting voice, I find. It also describes my life perfectly right now, which is why I listen to it all the time. :)

OMG you just made me realise how appropriate this song is to my life ATM
I was just looking at the lyrics because it is a brilliant song but now your comment shows this song is exactly how i feel about a girl i like

Song MeaningTo me, this song is about a crush, and wanting to take it to the next level.. but not knowing if he feels the same just yet.

I've made up my mind/No need to think it over/If I'm wrong I ain't right/No need to look no further/This ain't lust/This is love but

She knows what she wants, and she's ready to go for it, but..

If I tell the world/I'll never say enough/Because it was not said to you/And that's exactly what I need to do/If I'm in love with you

I could tell the world, but it won't matter who hears it until I say it to you. Otherwise, how will you know that I'm in love with you?

Should I give up/Or should I just keep chasing pavements/Even if it leads nowhere/Or would it be a waste/Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?

So do I stay in the background/as a friend? Or do I go for it? Follow the pavement and take a chance.. even if in the end, I don't get what I want. Is the greater risk in never trying? I know to you, my place is as your friend, but I want to take it further..

I'd build myself up/And fly around in circles/Wait then as my heart drops/And my back begins to tingle/Finally could this be it

I get so high on the possibility of us, but I come back to reality when I realize we're still just friends. But the slightest hint of you brings a tingle to my spine, and any day now, I'll help you realize we should be together

That's the meaning I belt my heart out to.. unrequited love, because I haven't had the courage to tell him how I feel.

General CommentI interpret the "chasing pavements" is that if you notice the music clip, how in reality, the man and the woman have their back turned and lie motionless after the disaster (car crash) but during the chorus when she's referring to chasing pavements, they seem to move towards eachother and seem to be compromising that relationship. There's also the use of shadows as well. Seems to tell a tale of it's own.

To me chasing pavements is metaphorical for going after a dream or a possibilty and holding onto a thought, feeling regardless of how hopeless it may seems. a bit like a wild goose chase.
I agree with the unrequited love idea too.

I completely agree with you for the most part. i think the song is about chasing something, such as a relationship, or something in life that is just going to be a lost, or just a waste of time. however, i don't think its talking about unrequited love. i think its talking about holding onto something even if when you know its over. BUT you are just so lost, you don't want to make up your mind. Because once you make up your mind, for good, you know that its over and all hope is lost.

General CommentIt's like the car crash symbolises the end of their love or relationship, and the way they are positioned with their backs turned also seem to suggest that.
while "chasing pavements" is where they seem to be moving towards eachother in the dance choreography. Watch the music clip, it'll probably help you understand better than these words I've written. lol.

General CommentWell, adding to my comment above -
Chasing pavements...
In my opinion the pavements symbolise a journey through life, you walk and walk and walk, visit places, keep on going and going. Pavements never end or conclude and I think that's the way she feels about the person she loves - she'll just keep on walking and walking because she thinks he'll never love her..
Not sure about it, what do you guys think :S

General CommentTo me, this song is about a split up couple. One of them is pretty sure that he/she is still in love with the other (first verse). That person resolves to try to win back the other's love by telling them that she/he is still in love with them (second verse). Somehow, she/he has an idea that even if she hangs on to this broken relationship and tries to fix things, it won't make much of a difference anymore -- they are broken up and the relationship is over. She/he also knows that "her place" is not with the person, but still, she/he finds her/himself wanting to still try to rectify things even if there's a big possibility that those efforts end up in vain.

This interpretation also matches the video. The video is somewhat like a flashback of what their relationship was before the car crash (the disaster) -- they were happy, they made love, etc. But the girl pushes the guy away for some reason (other man, etc.), which in turn, breaks them up. She tries to win him back, but it "leads nowhere".

The video presents a conclusion to the song. In the end, they're carried of by medics, off to recovery but each in different paths. I think this means that while the girl tried her best to win the guy back, they ultimately, split up in the end.

General CommentAfter watching the video and listening to the song. I see this song as being about a woman who is in love with a man who most likely is the one person she needs to be with. However, she's constantly going off "chasing pavements" or looking for something more. The video shows the couple embracing and then the woman hands the man a break-up letter and turns over to the shadowy figure representing another man. She then turns back and tries to get that relationship back, but he’s reluctant. The mentioning of "even if I knew my place should I keep it there" makes me feel more confident about my opinion. Definitely sounds like a woman who is torn between staying with the man she should be with or going off to chase relationships which will lead no where because she knows where her place is and who she needs to be with.